Those That Are Loved Are Not Lost
by HeroOfTheCastleOfMarble
Summary: My first attempt at a Harry Potter fic. Starts on that cold October night, but it's path is different, since certain people don't die. I know it's a bad summary but read and review please.


Right so this is my first attempt at Harry Potter fanfiction. It jumped into my head one day while I was walking the dog and would not go away. Idon't know if this has been done before...if it has let me know. Just let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They're J.K. Rowlings.

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Those That Are Loved Are Not Lost

Chapter 1

Dark October Night

Harry Potter opened his bright green eyes, it was dark outside his window and he blinked as he felt the wind rattle the pane of glass. He whimpered and clutched the teddy bear close to his chest. He didn't know what woke him, he was only a year old after all, but he could feel a terror gripping his body. There was another howl of wind and Harry Potter started crying.

James Potter was about to kiss his wife thoroughly on the lips, as he had just managed to get his son to sleep and felt he was in for some sort of reward, when he heard the crying. Lily laughed as he let out a huge sigh and looked up the stairs from the living room, seeing the small light from Harry's night-light drifting in from the young boys room.

"I just…he was just…uh!" He moaned looking at his wife. "That kid sure knows how to damper a guy's spirits."

Lily smacked him in the arm. "Be nice, he's your son James. Looks and all."

"Sadly I feel that he has his mother's vocal cords." James murmured to her. Harry's wail banged against his eardrums and again James sighed. "All right little buddy I'm coming."

Lily waited as James ascended the steps and disappeared into Harry's room. Lily sighed and walked to the edge of the staircase, leaning on the banister. James came down with Harry on his shoulder, still clutching the teddy bear, his crying had fallen back to whimpering.

"Hush little Harry, it's okay it's just a storm." James crooned, rubbing the small boys back and reaching the bottom of the steps. He sent a mischievous look to his wife. "I think he wants you." He said, turning so she could see her son's tear streaked face. Her son blinked at her with matching eyes.

Lily hid her smile. "James Potter you're not going to use him as leverage again. I distinctly remember you informing me, not too softly, that you could put your son to bed on your own 'thank you very much'." Lily grinned at James' mock-hurt face.

"Aw come on Lily you know I didn't mean-" He stopped, his head jerked up, his eyes wide. "Did you hear that?"

Lily looked around. Harry had also sat up slightly and his lip was shaking as though he was about to cry again. Lily took the baby from her husband and held him close to her chest, trying to stop any future tears.

James stepped over to the window that was close to the hallway, looking out he could barely make out the street. He swallowed and narrowed his eyes as he spotted a dark cloaked figure walking quickly up the street of Godric's Hollow. James felt a shiver run through his body as he stumbled backward to Lily.

"Lily." He whispered. "He's coming!"

Lily stared at him. "He can't…not without-"

"Wormtail!" James burst out suddenly. Harry began to cry and James looked ashamed for a moment. "Sorry Harry." He muttered. James felt the floor shake underneath him. How did that happen? He didn't want to know. "He's coming here Lily." James said quickly. "Either Peter's dead or he-"

"Sold us out." Lily finished. "That rat!" James flinched slightly, Lily knew nothing of how Peter, Sirius and he had become Animagus. By calling Peter a rat she had no idea how close to the truth she was.

But James didn't want to believe that one of his best friends had sold them out. Couldn't believe it. Worry about it later, he told himself as the wind banged at the house. Worry about Voldemort now.

There was a pounding near the front of the house and James felt the house shake again. He heard faint voices, low ones. Death Eaters, he thought to himself. It has to be. Couldn't come without backup, he thought bitterly. Just in case, you slimy snake!

"James-" Lily breathed, bringing him sharply back to earth. He looked at her, pain pressed into his heart. His family, that's what Voldemort was coming after. He had to do something to stop him.

"Lily, take Harry and run." He told her. "I'll hold him off as long as I can. Hopefully it'll be long enough…"

"No." Lily said. James looked at her.

"Lily it's the only-"

"No! I'm not leaving you James." Lily repeated defiantly.

James gaped at her like a goldfish. Lily had never been that defiant before. Okay there was the 210 times he asked her out before she'd finally said yes….and when Sirius had suggested they name their son Pinocchio after some muggle movie. "Lily." He breathed, touching her cheek with shaking fingers. How much time was there left before Voldemort burst into their living room. "Think about Harry…"

"I am." She replied in the same tone. "He needs a father."

"He needs a mother and a life more." James broke in. "If you stay here he'll kill you both…you know that. Just go I'll-"

"What do you want me to do, run like a coward?" Lily demanded. "While you play hero and are murdered?"

"Lily." James' patience was wearing thin and his heart beat was starting to speed up. "He'll be here-"

"In case you've forgotten, Potter, I was sorted into Griffindor too." She interrupted him, trying to keep her voice low to not scare the already whimpering Harry. "I'm just as brave and capable as you."

"We shouldn't even be arguing about this!" James burst out. "Just go!"

"No. You stay we all stay."

"Are all red-heads as stubborn as you?" James demanded. Lily smirked at him. "We'll be killed."

"Not if we all leave." Lily told him.

James blinked at her. "You just said you wouldn't-"

"Not without you I won't." Lily corrected him.

"Just when I thought I had you figured out, Lily you go and-" A thumping sound cut him off. Death was pounding on his front door, literally.

"Try to Apparate." Lily gave him a look. "Just try!" He pleaded. Lily tried and then stared at him.

"I can't!"

Of course he would think of that. He didn't want them to get away. James swallowed and grabbed Lily's cloak off the coat hanger and threw it around her shoulders.

"James what are you-"

"There's only one way out now…" He was thinking allowed. He grabbed his cloak from where he'd thrown it on the banister earlier and tucked it around Harry who was cradled in Lily's arms. There was a defining band outside the house, a red light streaked underneath the front door. James turned and held onto Lily's elbow.

"Trust me." He breathed into her ear. Lily nodded and James stuck his wand into his pocket as there was another defining blast and the front door was blown off it's hinges. James whirled and in the same moment let go of his human shape and turned into a pure white stage, his large antlers were inches from the ceiling.

Lily's eyes widened as she saw him. The stag looked at her and motioned to his back. Lily threw her legs over him and clutched his neck, clinging to Harry.

The stage turned his blazing hazel eyes to the front door where he saw a dark cloaked man standing. "Prongs…." The voice was a hiss. "Do you think you can escape me a fourth time James Potter?" The stage pawed the ground. Lily could almost hear James telling her to hold on, she tightened her grip on his neck. "Think again, Potter! _Avada Kedavra_!" Green light flashed and James just barely avoided the blow. Voldemort shot a curse at him and James jumped again, feeling knives digging into his side. James stumbled, and heard Lily cry out. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lily clutching to him, in his ear he heard crying. Harry. James' anger blazed. No more dodging. He could see the curse forming on Voldemort's lips. James charged at him, throwing him to the side with his powerful antlers. Voldemort's final curse cut across James' front leg. He charged out of the house, leaving the Dark Lord lying on the dirt, struggling to get him.

Ha! Thought James to himself. He pulled up short upon seeing a semi-circle of Death Eaters surrounding him. James snorted in anger. A curse was short, a red flame that James felt collide with his side as he tried to move out of the way of another curse. James made a sound of pain and reared. Another Death Eater yelled out a curse and James turned so it missed Lily and Harry, hitting him in the side of the head.

Inside James moaned with pain, but the reminder of Harry and Lily on his back forced him to keep silent. He felt Lily move on top of him and turn to the direction of the house. James turned his head and saw Voldemort staggering to his feet. Oh no! James' mind roared. Lily pulled out her wand and pointed. "Crucio!" The spell shot towards Voldemort, spinning and throwing him around. James bucked at the nearest Death Eater as Lily shot out a death curse to Voldemort. James heard a side of the house explode and looked to see Voldemort lying in the dirt. James' heart froze. Had Lily done it? But then Voldemort's hand moved . No one can survive a killing curse. James thought, panicked. Maybe Lily's heart hadn't been fully into it. A death curse couldn't work unless the conjurer put enough want into it. **(A/N: I don't know if that's true…but for the sake of this story it's going to be)**

Voldemort dragged his body halfway up and short a curse at them. James tried to move, but was a second late. He heard Harry's scream and saw blood on the boy's forehead.

James whirled and plunged through the row of Death Eaters, kicking sand behind him. Curses passed by his side, whipping wind around him. Harry cried loudly and Lily clung to both of them. James felt his hooves pounding into the hard concrete of the road. Something wet ran over his left eye, partially blinding him. Blood by the smell of it.

The curses had stopped. Must have lost them, finally. James thought. Better not stop yet. He continued running. He rushed past the sign that had "Godric's Hollow" written in big brown letters. James was panting by now, and his hooves were hurting from running on the unforgiving street. He turned and began to go up a grassy hill, feeling Lily's grip loosening slightly on his neck. Hold on a little longer, honey, he thought to her. He swallowed hard as he thundered over the grass. I stick out like a beacon, James told himself. And I don't know how much longer I can hold this shape.

A little longer, this time he was telling himself.

James finally stopped far outside Godric's Hollow, near a fountain sitting in a park. James lowered his head, panting. Lily come on dear get down. Please. Lily slid off his back, careful to hold Harry, who had calmed down, slightly but was still crying.. James' legs folded under him and he hit the ground, turning back to human. He coughed loudly into the dirt, balling the grass into his fists. Lily knelt beside him.

"James." She crooned, rubbing his back. James tried to sit up and failed. He tried again, and this time managed to make it, sitting on his knees facing Lily. He felt pain all over his body, much worse than it had felt as a stag. He looked down. His robes were in tatters, his undershirt was ripped as well and his jeans had holes in both knees. He saw something red running down one of his arms and felt wetness on his side. He pressed his hand to his ribs and winced as he felt a cut.

Lily reached up and touched his face. James flinched at her touch. When her hand came back red James remembered the other curse that had taken him in the face.

"You heroic, chivalrous idiot." She told him, tears flowing down her cheeks.

James smiled slightly. "You forgot dashingly handsome." Lily tried to laugh. She looked down. "I tried to stop him. I guess I just didn't want it enough….it wasn't strong enough…." Lily told him.

"You tried." James told her, rubbing her shoulder. "And now hopefully that bastard won't come after us anytime soon."

"Don't curse in front of Harry." Lily ordered. James looked at his son. There was drying blood on his forehead. James reached into his pocket and pulled out a want. Pointing it at the blood he muttered a spell. The blood disappeared, however the jagged cut on his son's forehead did not.

"Lily?" James asked. Maybe he'd done the wrong spell. Anyway, Lily was better at healing. Lily murmured the same spell at Harry, but the cut remained.

"He will mark him as his equal." Lily murmured, a tear running down her cheek. "James…he's going to come after us, isn't he?"

"Of course he will." James said slowly. "He won't stop until he's dead or Harry is. Your remember the prophesy…and now Harry's marked." James throat felt dry as he spoke, staring at his son.

"Shh not in front of Harry." Lily demanded.

James rolled his eyes. "He's not going to remember this Lily. Do you remember things from when you were one?" He turned his eyes to the horizon. He blinked. He thought he saw something coming their way. He couldn't have already been coming after him. Didn't that snake ever give up? James thought angrily. He looked at his wife, she was tired, as he was. He couldn't manage another transformation if he'd wanted to. "Lily Apparate out of here." He said. "There's nothing that can stop you around here."

Lily's eye's hardened. "James we already had this conversation. I'm not leaving without you."

"And you have no idea how much that warms my heart." James told her smiling. "But I'm too weak to Apparate. You have to Apparate Harry out of here…somewhere safe. Then you can come back for me." Lily opened her mouth to object but James stopped her. "Trust me Lily. You know you can't Apparate all three of us."

Lily closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on his. "Are you…sure?" James nodded. "But what if-"

"What if nothing…take Harry and then come back for me." James looked over her shoulder. The shape was closer. "Trust me, Lily."

"I do…I'm just worried…"

"Don't worry about me." James told her, kissing her nose.

Lily smiled. "I can't help it." James responded by kissing her soundly on the lips. Lily squeaked as heat flowed through her body. Harry made an angry noise and James broke the kiss.

"Jealous?" He teased his son, ruffling his black hair.

"You'll be here when I get back?" Lily asked, standing up and holding Harry close.

"Where would I go?" James asked her. "Now you…go!"

Lily Apparated, leaving James sitting alone. He slowly stood up, swaying slightly. He blinked blurry eyes at the horizon. "Come on, Lily." He muttered to himself.

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Lily turned from where she'd landed on a lit concrete sidewalk. She blinked at the plain houses that stood around her. All of them looked the same. She stopped and stared at the mailbox of the house in front of her: Number 4, Privet Drive, Dursley. Petunia. Oh dear why did I Apparate here? Lily wondered to herself. She walked quickly up the driveway and banged on the door. A little light shown underneath the door. At least someone was up.

"Petunia open this door right now!" Lily called. She could've sworn she saw something move near the window. "Petunia if you don't open this door right now-"

"Are you going to blow it off?" Petunia had opened the door and her sour looking face was staring angrily at her. "Isn't that what you people do? Blow up people's homes?"

"I am not going to blow up your home." Lily told her, exasperated. "Let me in."

Petunia looked as though she wanted to refuse, but finally allowed her sister entry. She glanced around the street quickly, to make sure that no one had seen, then shut the door with a snap.

Lily stood in the middle of the living room. The spotless living room, Lily quickly noticed. Petunia had always been one for looks. Petunia put her hands on her hips as if to say "Well?"

Lily sighed. "Someone attacked me and James tonight. James is still out there I have to go back."

"What is your point?" Petunia asked.

"I need you to watch Harry for me. Just until I can get James." Lily showed Petunia the small boy in her arms.

"Absolutely not!" Petunia almost cried. "I will not!"

"Why?" Lily demanded.

"Your son will pollute mine. And if Vernon finds out he'll be in fits. Besides, I don't even want you in this house."

"Then why did you let me in!" Lily asked hotly.

Petunia's nostril's flared but Lily cut off any other words. "Just watch him for a couple minutes, I'll come back and get him and then you'll never see me again. I promise."

"Why couldn't you take him to one of your slimy friends?" Petunia muttered.

"Half of them are hiding, and the other half are undercover." Lily spat at her sister. "Besides, your home is the safest." Petunia looked as though she was about to question Lily's statement. "Petunia please just watch Harry." Lily begged. Petunia finally sighed, and held out her arms. Lily gently placed Harry in her sister's bony arms. "Thank you." Lily breathed. She muttered something and a bright light came from her wand and washed across the walls.

Petunia looked around in horror. "What did you do!" She demanded loudly.

"I'm protecting your house until I get back." Lily informed her. "I'll be back in a moment. And Petunia." Her sister glanced at her. "Do not hurt Harry or I will blow off your door. She Apparated out before Petunia could reply.

Lily found herself in the park. She looked around, saw the fountain and a bench. "James!" she called out. She didn't see him anywhere. She walked closer to the fountain. "James!" Fear pressed against her chest. Lily spun around, wishing James to jump out and surprise her.

But he didn't.

She stepped around in the grass and then stopped short. She bent down and picked up a wand. Eleven inches. Pliable mahogany wand. James'. Lily would've known it anywhere. She picked it up and stared at the patch of ground. A pool of blood was there, part of it had stained the wand. "James…" She murmured, tears flowing freely down her face as she knelt in the park. Her hand tightened on the wand, a part of her heart felt empty and cold. The rain slowly began to fall, lightning flashed in the sky and thunder rumbled. Lily pulled herself to her feet and pocketed both her wand and James'. She turned from the scene and closed her eyes, closing out the thunder and rain. Finally she Apparated, leaving the park deserted like a haunted graveyard.

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So...that was the first chapter. I'm actually not sure whether or not I'll continue it...it just depends on what you guys think and how you respond.

A/N:You may or may not care but it always kind of irritated me that Lily left...even though James told her too and Harry's life was in danger...but I thought hey you're a Griffindor too, and you're just as brave. So I thought she'd let James know it.

Well that's it...review please and let me know what you think about it...is it crap or not. Don't flame please. :) kudoos.


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